To generate information on the nature and extent of community and local government engagements along local development processes and strengthen understanding among local stakeholders on local situation and their roles in municipal development, poverty reduction and local governance, the Kapit-bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) held a Municipal Talakayan (Dialogue) in Motiong, Samar yesterday, September 27, 2012.

Dubbed as Harampang han Mga Motionganon Para han Kauswagan (Gathering of the residents of Motiong for Development), the Talakayan proper started with a presentation of the municipal development agenda, plans and activities which enable the participants to understand the local development context through local sectoral planning, interventions and development outcomes along local performance areas.

How Kalahi-CIDSS links with the Municipal Development Agenda was also presented to provide the participants inputs and review on key concepts of the project, its objectives and contributions to local development agenda.

Kalahi-CIDSS Deputy National Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Karlo Alberto de Asis, the brainchild of the Municipal Talakayan, said, “The activity is an internal evaluation mechanism which has been conceptualized both as a diagnostic and a capacity-building tool for local-level dialogue”.

Regional Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Reynaldo Soliveres added, “The Talakayan is an end-of-cycle activity to be conducted annually over the three (3)- year duration of Kalahi-CIDSS Project”.

Motiong is the pilot municipality among the nine (9) guaranteed municipalities covered by Kalahi-CIDSS that conducted the Talakayan.

The Talakayan was participated by members of the Municipal Inter-Agency Committee (MIAC), Area and Municipal Coordinating Teams (ACT/MCTs), all barangay captains, community citizens, volunteers and non-volunteers.